Memos

We’ve resurrected the memorandum to address those who’ve influenced us, those we seek to influence, and those whose influence we seek.

FEATURED Memo

To those who aspire to be bold

Everyone wants a bolder brand. But finding the right variety of boldness is the tricky part.

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To subtitles

To subtitles

A majority of viewers now watch television with the subtitles on. That seemingly small adjustment could have profound implications on how brands are built.

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To entrepreneurs seeking a cult-like brand

To entrepreneurs seeking a cult-like brand

Many founders thirst for a brand that will achieve a cult following. But drinking the Kool-Aid can have a darker side.

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To a newly-former client, on your departure

To a newly-former client, on your departure

Client-agency relationships can begin and end in myriad ways; the most enduring ones, however, are as personal as they are professional—and based on a combination of trust and performance.

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To the parent brand that gets no respect

To the parent brand that gets no respect

Family dynamics in a house of brands: mending dysfunction is often a matter of knowing what to say.

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To the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and the brands that inhabit it

To the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and the brands that inhabit it

Meandering is a fine thing to do along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail—but the brands that inhabit it need to take a more deliberate path to stand apart.

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To Trust

To Trust

When you’re responsible for 45,000 matters of life and death every day, you can’t leave matters of trust up in the air.

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To the pregnant pause

To the pregnant pause

Taking a strategic pause can be a risky gambit—but in the right moment, also one rife with opportunity.

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To those who aspire to disrupt

To those who aspire to disrupt

Knowing what your brand stands against helps define what it stands for. But “how” it does it is what makes it distinct.

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To NASA, on its future

To NASA, on its future

Relaunching a reputation built on transparency, collaboration and integrity: thoughts on NASA in the next Space Age.

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To the devil, in the hope that he’ll recruit more advocates

To the devil, in the hope that he’ll recruit more advocates

A devil’s advocate can play a critical part in making important decisions. So we beseech the role’s namesake to enlist more of them.

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To the brown M&Ms on Van Halen’s rider

To the brown M&Ms on Van Halen’s rider

Even the most chaotic, rebellious and in-your-face brands benefit from keeping the smallest details in check. Just ask the M&Ms that didn’t get to party with Van Halen.

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To our ever-rising AI overlords

To our ever-rising AI overlords

A human-penned missive to artificial intelligence itself, detailing the highs and lows of a recent collaboration on behalf of a client.

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To Arnold's Accent and Michael J. Fox's Height

To Arnold's Accent and Michael J. Fox's Height

I’ll be back to the future: A memo to the perceived weaknesses that helped create two of the world's most recognizable brands.

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To our favorite search engine on the occasion of its early retirement

To our favorite search engine on the occasion of its early retirement

A toast to the fading glory of a legendary Internet pioneer whose life has been equal parts success story and cautionary tale.

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To the couple who ate my tater tots

To the couple who ate my tater tots

A tale of reclaimed food, unreasonable hospitality, and the powerful thing that happens when a team has a profound, shared sense of how to deliver the exceptional.

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To Old Tom Morris and all those with a hand in the brand of golf

To Old Tom Morris and all those with a hand in the brand of golf

Bound by deep tradition, the game of golf is now undergoing some seismic changes. We ask a luminary if he’d still recognize it—and ponder where its brand should head from here.

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To social media managers in need of a detox

To social media managers in need of a detox

In a time of digital cacophony, even brands can benefit from a brief cleanse. Our humble call for March Muteness, a day of social restraint.

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To a new CMO reckoning with a brand’s sacred cow

To a new CMO reckoning with a brand’s sacred cow

Dealing with a brand’s sacred cow can be a CMO’s thorniest challenge. We unpack the risks and rewards of bovine intervention.

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To the lonely corporate values poster in the break room

To the lonely corporate values poster in the break room

A call to (actual) action to put the value back into company values. And to make better use of the spot on the break room wall where the Corporate Values poster is hanging.

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To the CEO whose kid I beat in bowling

To the CEO whose kid I beat in bowling

A service call on a piece of equipment built in the early 70’s poses a question for a mid-sized manufacturer. An investigation of durability as a brand position.

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To the coolest (and hottest) water bottle around

To the coolest (and hottest) water bottle around

The once-humble, ever-sturdy Stanley Quencher has suddenly become more than a stainless steel water bottle. Now the pressure’s on—and the moves Stanley makes next may affect the brand’s reputation for the next hundred years.

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To the good people of Keystone, Colorado

To the good people of Keystone, Colorado

The stewards of a coveted parcel of land in ski country dreamed of a brand and experience model that would honor the beloved ethos of a campfire. They wanted our help in creating it, and we couldn’t say no.

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To the deal team from the one that got away

To the deal team from the one that got away

A tale of when brand and cultural factors between two food companies put a deal on ice.

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To companies with a big birthday approaching

To companies with a big birthday approaching

A milestone anniversary is the ultimate opportunity to show the world how gracefully you're aging—and more importantly, what you'll become next.

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To The Beatles, wherever this may find you

To The Beatles, wherever this may find you

Sixty years ago, not even The Beatles would have predicted The Beatles.

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To our former employer (and its broader diaspora)

To our former employer (and its broader diaspora)

An appreciation for the company we once called home—and all fellow alumni who have built new ventures inspired by its proud legacy.

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To our future clients

To our future clients

A moment of truth is coming. It’s your job to get ahead of it. And for you to emerge as a winner on the other side, your brand may be the most powerful tool at your disposal.

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